As the election temperature continues to rise, in Jamaica, the opposition People’s National Party has announced that if it forms the next government, it would hold a referendum on whether to remove Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. 

Both the Jamaica Labour Party and the PNP have long floated the idea. 

The latest promise came from PNP President, Dr. Peter Phillips during a meeting held at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus last weekend.

The promise and the proposal were well received by supporters of the PNP.

But in 2016 Prime Minister Andrew Holness had promised to make Jamaica a Republic by taking legislation to the 2016/2017 Parliament.

The Prime Minister before him Portia Simpson Miller, after taking the oath said the time had come to move away from the monarchy in Britain.

At the time Mrs. Simpson Miller said she thought the time had come to complete the circle of independence and initiate the process for detachment from the monarchy.

She said Jamaica needed to become a Republic with its own indigenous President as Head of State.

The total number of positive cases of the coronavirus in Jamaica crosses the 1,000 figure.

Up to yesterday the number of cases stood at 1,003.

According to the Ministry of Health yesterday, 10 of the 16 new cases are females and 6 are males, with ages ranging from 12 to 42 years.

Nine are imported cases with addresses in St. James, Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Ann and St. Mary. 

Two are contacts of confirmed cases, 1 with a Clarendon address and the other a St. James address. 

Five are under investigation.